Shoe stretcher



Jan. 11, 1938.

A. PANOS 2 104 839 SHOE S TRETCHER Filed March 29, 1957 5 a -WEN l6 jg [/V V/V TOR. 14/ 05 TOLE Pmvos. BX

Patented Jan. 11, 1938 'l" ;ENT oFrlee SHOE STRETCHER Apostole Panes;

Applicatien March 29,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a shoe stretcher and an object of my invention is to enable the operator to interchange the blocks of the stretcher to conform with the type or size of shoe to be stretched.

Another object is to provide a novel shoe stretcher construction in which the stretcher can be hammered into position by striking the end of the control shaft.

Still another object is to provide a novel means of holding the blocks in position, said means being releasable to permit removal of the blocks.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my shoe stretcher.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same with the blocks removed and with the block engaging ferrule in section.

Figure 3 is an end view of a modified form of ferrule.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the sleeve upon which the ferrule shown in Figure 3 is mounted.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a further modified form of ferrule integral with the sleeve.

Figure 6 is an end view of the form shown in Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral l indicates a shoe stretcher comprising a pair of blocks 2, 3 which are inserted into the shoe in the usual and well known manner. A shaft 4 extends between the blocks 2, 3 and the inner end is threaded as shown at 5. A wedge 6 is mounted on the threaded portion 5 of the shaft and on rotation of the shaft, the wedge is moved forwardly to expand the blocks 2, 3. A handle I is mounted on the outer end of the shaft 4 and this handle is provided with a heavy boss 8 which is adapted to be hammered upon when the shoe stretcher is forced into the shoe. A threaded sleeve 9 is fitted over the shaft 4 and this sleeve carries the heel plate ID of the character disclosed in my Patent No. 2,069,537, or if desired, a heel plate of a different character could be employed. A sleeve H is fitted on the shaft 4 and this sleeve is provided with outwardly extending pins lZ-l 2, which are preferably integral with the sleeve. A shoulder 13 is formed within the sleeve I l and the shaft 4 is enlarged as shown at M so as to fit against the shoulder [3. The blocks 2, 3 are pro- Long Beach, Calif.

1937, Serial No. 133,630

vided with a hole l5 into which one of the pins l2 extend. Thus it will be evident that by hammering upon the boss 8, the force of the blow will be transmitted into the shaft 4, thence intothe sleeve H and then to the blocks 2, 3. By this arrangement the blocks are not damaged and there is less tendency for them to spread under the force of a blow. The collar 16 on the shaft l holds the sleeve I l in position on said shaft as shown in Figure 1. A ferrule I! fits on the sleeve l l and this ferrule is held on the end of the blocks 2, 3 by the nut I8 which screws onto the threads formed on the sleeve. The ferrule IT is substantially U" shaped and the sides of the same engaging the blocks 2, 3 in the plane of the pins 12.

The blocks 2, 3 fit somewhat loosely on the pins and also a space is provided between the blocks and the sleeve ll so that these blocks can swing outwardly to stretch the shoe. In Figure 3 and 4 I have disclosed a modified form of ferrule 19, the opposite flanges, 20 of which are arcuate. An elongated hole 2| in the ferrule fits over the outer end of the sleeve 22. By turning the ferrule through 90 the elongated hole 2| will fit into opposite grooves 23 in the sleeve. A partial rotation of the ferrule will thus release or secure the same to the sleeve, thus permitting the shoe blocks to be replaced when necessary. In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6, the ferrule 24 is substantially circular although the opposite sides thereof are flattened as shown at 26 so as to better engage the rear end of the shoe blocks 2,3. In this type of ferrule here under discussion, a sufiicient space is provided from the pins 21 to the ferrule so that the shoe blocks 2 or 3 can be inserted endwise into the ferrule and then snapped over one of the pins 21.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A shoe stretcher comprising a pair of blocks, a shaft extending into the blocks, block expanding means mounted on the shaft and operable thereby, a sleeve on the shaft, pins on said sleeve, said pins extending into the blocks, a ferrule engaging outer ends of the blocks and means removably mounting the ferrule on said sleeve.

2. A shoe stretcher comprising a pair of blocks, a shaft extending into the blocks, block expanding means mounted on the shaft and operable thereby, a sleeve on the shaft, pins on said sleeve, said pins extending into the blocks, a shoulder in the sleeve, said shaft being enlarged to engage the shoulder whereby the force of a blow on the shaft is transmitted to the sleeve and thence to the blocks.

3. A shoe stretcher comprising a pair of blocks,

a shaft extending into the blocks, block expanding means mounted on the shaft and operable thereby, a sleeve on the shaft, pins on said sleeve, said pins extending into the blocks, a shoulder in the sleeve, said shaft being enlarged to engage said pins extending into the blocks, a shoulder in the sleeve, said shaft being enlarged to engage the shoulder whereby the force of a "blow on the shaft is transmitted to the Sleeve and thenee to the blocks, and a ferrule removably mounted on said sleeve, said ferrule engaging the outer ends of V the blo s, and a hu thre ded on o the leeve,

said nut en a n a erru e w ereby-the fer h is held in a em n ith e hl eks- A oe stret her oom i e a pa r o loc s,

a shaft extending into the blocks, block expanding means mounted on the shaft and operable thereby, a sleeve on the shaft, pins on said sleeve,

said pins extending into the blocks, a shoulder in the sleeve, said shaft being enlarged to engage the shoulder whereby the force of a blow on the shaftis transmitted to the sleeve and thence to the blocks, and a ferrule on the outer end of the sleeve, said ferrule engaging the outer ends of said blocks.

' 6.- A shoe stretcher comprising a pair of stretching blocks, a shaft arranged between said blocks, block expanding means mounted on the inner end of the shaft and operable thereby, a sleeve mounted on the shaft, a pair of pins projecting from the sleeve, each of the pins extending into a'block, a shoulder in the sleeve against which the shaft bears, a substantially U shaped v ferrule mounted on the sleeve, means releasably mounting the ferrule on said sleeve, said ferrule en ing the ut r nd of t bl s in the p a o said pins ,APOSTOLE PANOS; 

